Urgent care clinics are specialized in walk-in emergency and non-emergency medical care. Here are four circumstances where an urgent care clinic is almost always the best health choice.

are becoming increasingly popular, and there’s a reason for that. But many people still aren’t sure what an urgent care clinic is or when they should go to one. Urgent care clinics are walk-in, short-wait clinics that are capable of handling emergencies and provide a full range of medical services. This makes them among the most flexible clinic options around, and there are certain times when they’re the best choice. So when should you go to an urgent care clinic? Here are four of the most common reasons:

1. In Emergencies. Many walk-in clinics are set up only to handle a short list of standard procedures, and cannot serious emergencies. But urgent care clinics are specifically structured to be able to handle emergencies just like a hospital ER does. They also tend to have less patient load, meaning more personalized attention and less pressure to discharge patients right away. If you have a medical emergency you can count on an urgent care clinic without having to call ahead.

2. When You Need to Save Money. Urgent care clinics generally accept all major insurance providers, and provide a host of services that might normally be spread between your physician, a specialist, and various labs. But insurance companies often allow urgent care clinic visits without a referral from your main physician, meaning you only have to make one copay – and attend one appointment – instead of two.

3. When You Don’t Have an Appointment. Probably the most attractive aspect of an urgent care clinic is the easy walk-in structure. Most of us don’t have the kind of schedule that allows us to take off from work at odd times to make a doctor’s appointment, and you don’t want to wait weeks to get a slot that’s convenient for you. Urgent care facilities are almost always walk-in friendly.

4. For No-Hassle Services. Whether you need to be screened for a disease, get your immunizations before travel or just come in for a physical, it shouldn’t be an ordeal. Urgent care clinics have a menu of quick in/out services that staff are used to handling quickly, efficiently and professionally every time.

These are just a few of the reasons to try an urgent care clinic. Have you been to one? What do you use these clinics for?